Air rifle shot shell

ABSTRACT

A caseless plastic shot shell having a shot-receiving pocket formed on the forward end thereof, the sidewall of the pocket being interrupted by spaced apart slits defining laterally deflectable petals. A collar is slidably mounted on the shell and operative in a first position to prevent the petals from deflecting laterally. The collar can be moved to a second position wherein the petals are free to deflect. A gas obturating cup is disposed on the rearward end of the shell.

O United States Patent 1 3,568,603

( 72] Inventor Edwin S. Vartanhn 3,208,382 9/ 1965 Foote et a1 102/42 North Haven, Conn. 3,209,694 10/1965 Garcia 102/91 [21] Appl. No. 822,458 3,215,076 11/1965 Foote et al.. 102/42 [22] Filed May 7, 1969 3,233,546 2/1966 Foote et 102/42 [45] Patented Mar. 9, 1971 3,401,588 9/1968 Olson 102/42X [73] Asslgnee Olin Maihieson Chemical Corporation Primary Examiner koben stab] Attorneys-H. Samuel Kieser, William W. Jones and Donald 54 AIR RIFLE snor SHELL 14 China, 5 Drawing Figs. [52] US. Cl. 102/91,

1132/42 ABSTRACT: A caseless plastic shot shell having a shot-receiv- [51 Illi- CI pocket formed on the forward end theregf the sidewall of [50] Field ofSearch 42 the pocket being interrupted by spaced apart slits defining 95, 91 93 laterally deflectable petals. A collar is slidably mounted on the shell and operative in a first position to prevent the petals from. [56] Rdem CM deflecting laterally. The collar can be moved to a second posi- UNITED STATES PATENTS tion wherein the petals are free to deflect. A gas obturating 3,179,051 4/1965 Morse 102/42 cup is disposed on the rearward end of the shell.

Patented March 9, 1971 INVENTOR EDWIN S. VARTA [VIA/V MFLE Sllllll'll @HELL This invention relates to a caseless plastic shotshell for use with a gas operated weapon, such as an air gun. The shell includes a shot-receiving pocket having a sidewall made up of a plurality of laterally deflectable petals which flare outwardly under the intluence of atmospheric air resistance when the she l fired from the weapon muzzle. The shell is truly caseless in that the entire shell is forced from the chamber and through the barrel when the weapon is fired, leaving nothing to be extracted from the chamber.

A shotshell specifically designed for use with an air gun is known in the prior art, as shown in U. S. Pats. No. 838,51 1 to A. T. Saunders, issued in 1904; 1,823,160 to W. Paul, issued in 192; and 3,209,694 to J. M. Garcia, issued in 1965. The air gun shotshells disclosed in the prior art present various problems relating to controlled release of the pellets upon firing, extraction of the empty shell casing, ease of handling prior to loading, and extraction of the shell should the shooter wish to unload the weapon without firing.

The air gun shotsbell of this invention is formed of plastic and provides for dependable and predictable release of the shot pellets after firing by including a shot-retaining pocket having a sidewall formed from a plurality of resilient, longitudinally extending petals which flare outwardly under the influence of atmospheric air resistance when the shell leaves the weapon muzzle. The flared petals'cause the shell to quickly fall to the ground while the shot charge continues on its flight path. The undamaged shell may then be retrieved and reloaded with a new charge of shot. The shotshell of this invention eliminates the problem of empty shell extraction because the entire shell is shot through the barrel when the gun is fired, leaving nothing behind to eject. Should the shooter wish to extract the shell prior to firing for any reason, the shell includes a rearwardly opening concavity, the wall of which may frictionally engage the bolt, or shell-seating portion of the action or the air gun, so that when the bolt is pulled to the rear of the receiver, the uniired shell moves rearwardly out of the chamber and can be easily removed from the bolt nose. Alternatively, the rearwardly opening concavity may be provided with a rearwardly projecting spine of sufiicient length to be grasped by the lingers of the shooter when the breech is opened. The spine permits the shell to be manually withdrawn from the chamber and does not require that the bolt" of the weapon be modified for use with the shell. The term bolt as used in this disclosure, refers to the shell-seating portion of the action of the airgun which is similar to the bolt of a firearm, but which includes a passage through which pressurized gas, or air, is directed against the rear portion of the shell to propel the latter through the barrel. The shotshell of this invention is readily handled prior to loading through the inclusion of a collar frictionally fitted onto the exterior of the shot pocket and overlying the petals to prevent them from ilaring outwardly when the shell is not chambered. The collar is slidable over the exterior of the shot pocket and includes a plurality of protrusions which engage the wall of the weapon chamber when the shell is seated in the chamber. As the shell slides into the chamber, the engagement of the chamber wall and collar protrusions causes the collar to slide rearwardly over the shot pocket to a position offset from the petals so that the collar will not interfere with the flaring of the petals when the shell is tired from the gun. if the shell is withdrawn from the chamber without firing, the collar slides back over the shot pocket to its original position overlying the petals as the shell is slid out of the chamber.

it is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a reloadable plastic shotshell for use with air guns or the like, which shell is formed with a shot pocket having a sidewall formed from a plurality of adjacent flexible petals adapted to deflect outwardly when the shell is projected from the muzzle of the weapon.

it is yet another object of this invention to provide a shotshell of the character described which shell is completely expelled from the weapon when the latter is tired leaving nothing to be extracted.

it is still another object of this invention to provide a shotshell of the character described which is adapted to be extracted should the shooter wish to unload the weapon without firing.

it is a still further object of. this invention to provide a shotshell of the character described having a collar slidably mounted on the exterior of the shot pocket, which collar can be moved to a position overlying the petals to prevent the latter from being outwardly deflected by the shot pellets, thereby improving the handling characteristics of the shells.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the shotshell of this invention showing the collar in its petalretaining position;

FIG. 2 is a side plan view of the shell of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing the shell as it appears when it is chambered in a weapon (only partially shown), the collar being slid rearwardly by contact with the chamber wall to a position oll'set from the petals;

FIG. 4 is a side view showing the shell as it appears after being propelled from the muzzle of the weapon with the petals opening up to release the shot charge; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the rearward portion of an alternative embodiment of the shell of this invention showing a second means whereby the shell may be extracted from the chamber without firing the weapon.

Referring now to FIGS; 1 and 2, a preferred embodiment of the shotshell of this invention is shown and indicated generally by the numeral 2. The shell includes a generally cylindrical body 4 of plastic which may be formed, for example, by injection molding in a generally conventional manner. The body 4 includes a rearward portion 6 of enlarged diameter, an intermediate portion 8 of reduced diameter, and a forward portion 10 of enlarged diameter, preferably the forward portion 10 being of somewhat smaller diameter than the rearward portion 6 for reasons which will be pointed out in greater detail hereinafter. Radially extending shoulders 12 define the bounds of the intermediate portion 8. A rearwardly opening concavity la is formed on the rear end of the shell. A collar 16 is slidably fitted onto the intermediate portion 8 to fit rather snugly thereover. A plurality of protuberances 18 are disposed on the exterior of the collar 16 for a purpose disclosed in detail hereinafter, the protuberances 18 preferably being three in number and spaced apart from each other at an angle of 120. It is noted that the shoulders 12 serve to prevent the collar 16 from accidentally sliding off of the shell 2. The forward portion of the shell is hollow to form a shot pouch or pocket 20 in which a charge of shot is positioned. The sidewall of the shot pocket 20 is slitted, preferably as at 22, in four places apart to subdivide the wall into a plurality of adjacent petals 24. The rearward ends of the slits 22 are preferably extended toward each other, as at 26 so as to provide a relatively narrow connection between the petals 2d and the remainder of the intermediate portion ll thereby increasing the propensity of the petals 24 to flare or deflect outwardly to release the shot, as shown in FlG. 4-. The forward end of the shot pocket 20 is closed by a plurality of radially inwardly projecting flaps 28 formed integrally with the petals 2. there being one flap 33 on each petal 24. The rearward end of the shot pocket 2% is closed by a transversely extending web 30 which separates the shot pocket 20 from the rear concavity 14.

FIG. 3 shows the shell 2 chambered in a weapon (partially shown) and ready to be propelled from the weapon. The weapon includes a barrel 32 having a bore 34 and an enlarged chamber 36. A shoulder 38 is interposed between the chamber 36 and the bore 34. The barrel 32 is secured to a receiver 40 which houses a reciprocating bolt" assembly 452. The bolt 42 includes a central passage l l through which a jet of pressurized gas is directed when the weapon is fired. The nose 46 of the bolt 42 is undercut so as to frictionally engage the sidewall of the concavity 14 on the shell. As is shown in FIG. 3, when the shell is slid into the barrel 32, the bolt nose 46 frictionally engages the shell concavity 14 so that forward movement of the bolt 42 chambers the shell. The protuberances 18 on the collar 16 engage the chamber wall 36 so that the shell slides forward, the collar 16 is slid rearwardly until it abuts the rear shoulder 12. The forward end of the collar 16 seats against the chamber shoulder 38 when the shell is fully chambered, as shown in FIG. 3. The forward enlarged portion of the shell is snugly contained by the barrel bore 34 to prevent the petals 24 from deflecting outwardly under the influence of the shot charge 48 which is disposed, along with a pair of wads 50, within the shot pocket 20. The number of wads disposed in the shot pocket can be varied to vary the mass of shot pellets in the pocket, or the wads can be completely omitted from the shot pocket without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is noted that the collar 16 is moved rearwardly by engagement with'the chamber 36 to a position offset from the petals 24 when the shell is chambered. The forward face of each of the flaps 28 is hollowed out to form an air scoop 29 which scoop 29 provides a surface against which air can act when the shell is fired. The air pressure acting on the scoops 29 as the shell leaves the muzzle of the weapon forces the front portion of the petals 24 to begin to flare outwardly. After the petals have begun to thus flare outwardly, the air pressure acts also on the inside surface of the petals to further flare the petals (see FIG. 4). If the shooter wishes to remove the shell from the chamber without firing the weapon, he need merely slide thebolt 42 rearwardly through the receiver 40. The bolt nose 46 by virtue of its frictional engagement with the shell concavity 14 will pull the shell back out of the chamber 36. As the shell is slid back out of the chamber 36, the friction between the collar projections 18 and the chamber wall will cause the collar 16 to slide forwardly over the intermediate portion 8 of the shell to its original forward position, shown in FIG. 2, to once again restrain the petals 24 against outward deflection.

To fire the shell, a stream of highly pressurized gas is forced from a source (not shown) through the passage 44 and against the shell concavity 14. The collar 16 is thus forced against the chamber shoulder 38 to develop shot start. When a predetermined gas pressure is developed behind the concavity 14, the collar 16 and rear portion 6 of the shell deform due to their inherent resiliency, and the entire shell is propelled through the barrel bore 34. As the shell passes through the barrel bore 34, the sidewall of the concavity 14 is forced outwardly against the bore wall by gas pressure and thus serves to obturate the propelling gas.

FIG. 4 shows the operation of the shell in releasing the shot charge. When the shell 2 is propelled from the weapon muzzle, air resistance acts upon the scoops 29 on the closure flaps 28 which, as noted above, are integral with the petals 24. This air resistance thus causes the petals 24 and flaps 28 to be deflected radially outwardly, as shown in FIG. 4, and away from their shrouding position encircling the shot charge 48. As the petals 24 flare outwardly the air resistance acting upon the shell 2 greatly increases, and the combination of increased air resistance, and the light weight of the shell 2 causes the shell to quickly decelerate and fall to the ground. At the same time, the closely bunched, heavier shot charge 48 is more impervious to the resistance of air, and the shot charge 48 moves away from the shell 2 and continues on toward the target. The empty shell can easily be retrieved and reloaded for further use, since none of the components separate one from the other after the shot is released, and since one of the components break up when the shell is fired.

Referring now to FIG. 5, an alternative means is shown whereby an unfired shell can be withdrawn from the chamber of the weapon. A rearwardly extending cylindrical spine 48 is molded integrally with the bottom face of the concavity 14. The spine 48 is formed preferably with a radial protuberance 50 on the rear terminal thereof, the protuberance 50 terminating at a point short of the rear edge of the portion 6 of the shell so as not to interfere with the seating of the shell by the bolt 42 (shown in phantom) nor the flow of pressurized gas'from the bolt passage into the concavity 14. The spine 48 and protuberance 50 provide a means which can be manually grasped by the fingers of the shooter when the breech of the weapon is opened, so that the shooter can pull on the spine 48 and thereby withdraw the unfired shell from the weapon chamber.

It is readily apparent that the shotshell of this invention provides a conveniently handled, reloadable shell which is fired from an air gun leaving nothing behind to be extracted. The provision of a sliding collar mounted on the shell insures that the shot pocket petals will not open prematurely when the shell is being handled prior to being chambered, but at the same time, also insures that the petals will act dependably to release the shot charge after the shell leaves the weapon muzzle. By forming the closure flaps integrally with the petals, deflection of the top closure of the shell is dependably insured. The shell, in spite of being completely caseless in operation, nevertheless, permits the shooter to remove an unfired round from the chamber without firing the weapon. The concavity also insures that the propelling gases will be fully obturated as the shell passes through the weapon.

lclaim:

1. A caseless shotshell for use with a gas operated weapon, said shell comprising: a cylindrical plastic body having a forwardly disposed shot-receiving pocket; a transversely extending web closing the rearward end of said shot-receiving pocket; the sidewall of said shot-receivingpocket being interrupted by a plurality of longitudinally extending slits defining a number of adjacent resilient petals operative to deflect outwardly when said shell is tired from the weapon; collar means slidably mounted on the exterior of said body, said collar means being movable to a first position overlying said petals to prevent the latter from outward deflection, and said collar means further being movable to a second position offset from said petals wherein the latter are free to deflect outwardly; and deflectable means operative to close the forward end of said shot-receiving pocket.

2.'The shotshell of claim 1, wherein said cylindrical plastic body further includes a rearwardly opening concavity including a resilient sidewall operative to flare outwardly to form a gas-obturating seal when said shell is fired from the weapon.

3. The shotshell of claim 2, wherein said sidewall is further operative to frictionally engage a bolt means on the weapon therein providing for extraction of said shell should the latter not be fired.

4. Tile shotshell of claim 2, further comprising rearwardly extending elongate means formed in said concavity to provide a manually graspable surface to facilitate extraction of said shell should the latter not be fired. 4

5. The shotshell of claim 4, further comprising a radial protuberance formed on the rearward terminal of said elongate means.

6. The shotshell of claim 1, further comprising spaced apart shoulder means formed on said cylindrical body to prevent said collar means from accidentally slipping off of said body; one of said shoulder means combining with said collar means to provide a shot start surface when said shell is chambered in the weapon.

7. The shotshell of claim 1, wherein said deflectable closure means comprises a plurality of inwardly extending flaps integral with said petals, each of said flaps being deflected radially outwardly when its associated petal is deflected outwardly.

8. The shotshell of claim 7, wherein said flaps include depressions formed on their forward surfaces defining air scoops operative to initiate radial deflection of said flaps.

9. The shotshell of claim 1 wherein said collar means comprises a plurality of protrusions operative to engage said weapon to slide said collar means over said body when said shell is chambered and unchambered.

10. A caseless reloadable shotshell comprising: a cylindrical plastic body having a forwardly disposed shot-receiving pocket; a plurality of adjacent resilient petals defining the sidewall of said shot-receiving pocket, said petals being outwardly deflectable; collar means slidably mounted on the exterior of said body, said collar means being movable to a first position overlying said petals to restrain the latter against outward deflection, and said collar means further being movable to a second position ofiset from said petals wherein the latter are free to deflect outwardly; means operative to close the rearward end of said shot-receiving pocket; and deflectable means operative to close the forward end of said shot-receiv- 7 ing pocket. 7

11. The shotshell of claim 10, further comprising a rearwardly opening concavity having a resilient sidewall operative to flare outwardly to form a gas-obturating seal when said shell is fired from a weapon.

12. The shotshell of claim 1 l further comprising rearwardly extending elongate means formed integrally with a wall of. said of said petals, said flaps having depressions formed on their forward surfaces defining air scoops operative to initiate radial deflection of said flaps.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 68.603 Dated March 9. l jl Inventor(s) Edwin S. Vartanian It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Specification, line 16 "192" should read --l929-- Specification, Column 3, line 69 one" should read --none- Signed and sealed this 22nd day of June 1971 (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,J'R. WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JE Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A caseless shotshell for use with a gas operated weapon, said shell comprising: a cylindrical plastic body having a forwardly disposed shot-receiving pocket; a transversely extending web closing the rearward end of said shot-receiving pocket; the sidewall of said shot-receiving pocket being interrupted by a plurality of longitudinally extending slits defining a number of adjacent resilient petals operative to deflect outwardly when said shell is fired from the weapon; collar means slidably mounted on the exterior of said body, said collar means being movable to a first position overlying said petals to prevent the latter from outward deflection, and said collar means further being movable to a second position offset from said petals wherein the latter are free to deflect outwardly; and deflectable means operative to close the forward end of said shot-receiving pocket.
 2. The shotshell of claim 1, wherein said cylindrical plastic body further includes a rearwardly opening concavity including a resilient sidewall operative to flare outwardly to form a gas-obturating seal when said shell is fired from the weapon.
 3. The shotshell of claim 2, wherein said sidewall is further operative to frictionally engage a bolt means on the weapon therein providing for extraction of said shell should the latter not be fired.
 4. THe shotshell of claim 2, further comprising rearwardly extending elongate means formed in said concavity to provide a manually graspable surface to facilitate extraction of said shell should the latter not be fired.
 5. The shotshell of claim 4, further comprising a radial protuberance formed on the rearward terminal of said elongate means.
 6. The shotshell of claim 1, further comprising spaced apart shoulder means formed on said cylindrical body to prevent said collar means from accidentally slipping off of said body; one of said shoulder means combining with said collar means to provide a shot start surface when said shell is chambered in the weapon.
 7. The shotshell of claim 1, wherein said deflectable closure means comprises a plurality of inwardly extending flaps integral with said petals, each of said flaps being deflected radially outwardly when its associated petal is deflected outwardly.
 8. The shotshell of claim 7, wherein said flaps include depressions formed on their forward surfaces defining air scoops operative to initiate radial deflection of said flaps.
 9. The shotshell of claim 1 wherein said collar means comprises a plurality of protrusions operative to engage said weapon to slide said collar means over said body when said shell is chambered and unchambered.
 10. A caseless reloadable shotshell comprising: a cylindrical plastic body having a forwardly disposed shot-receiving pocket; a plurality of adjacent resilient petals defining the sidewall of said shot-receiving pocket, said petals being outwardly deflectable; collar means slidably mounted on the exterior of said body, said collar means being movable to a first position overlying said petals to restrain the latter against outward deflection, and said collar means further being movable to a second position offset from said petals wherein the latter are free to deflect outwardly; means operative to close the rearward end of said shot-receiving pocket; and deflectable means operative to close the forward end of said shot-receiving pocket.
 11. The shotshell of claim 10, further comprising a rearwardly opening concavity having a resilient sidewall operative to flare outwardly to form a gas-obturating seal when said shell is fired from a weapon.
 12. The shotshell of claim 11, further comprising rearwardly extending elongate means formed integrally with a wall of said concavity and having a rearward terminal protuberance, said elongate means providing a graspable surface to facilitate extraction of said shell should the latter not be fired.
 13. The shotshell of claim 10, further comprising spaced apart shoulder means formed on said cylindrical body to prevent said collar means from accidentally slipping off of said body.
 14. The shotshell of claim 10, wherein said deflectable closure means comprises a plurality of adjacent transversely extending flaps, there being one flap integrally formed on each of said petals, said flaps having depressions formed on their forward surfaces defining air scoops operative to initiate radial deflection of said flaps. 